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By John | February 13, 2009
From the Word: “Suffering purges lust”(from I Peter 4:1-11)
”Therefore, since Christ has suffered in the flesh, arm yourselves also with the same purpose, because he who has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin, so as to live the rest of the time in the flesh no longer for the lusts of men, but for the will of God.” (I Peter 4:1-2 NASB)
Lord, am I understanding this prophecy? The footnote on suffering says the meaning should be “suffered death”. But that seems to be inconsistent with the context. How can someone who has already ’suffered death in the flesh” continue to live in the flesh? In any case, suffering in the flesh has a purpose. It had a purpose for You, Lord; You suffered death in the flesh to atone for my sin. And the purpose for my suffering is for me to cease from sin. Now, death definitely brings a cessation of sin, but if that is what is meant here, then verse 2 is not applicable. The sufferring of verse 1 must lead to living in the flesh for Your will, not for the lusts of men (and not for MY lusts). O that my life in the flesh woul be lived out according to Your will - that my flesh would yearn for You (Psalm 63:1), that my body would be my slave (I Corinthians 9:27), that I would seek for my spirit to overrule my flesh (Romans 7, 8).
Lord, give me insight here as to how to live in the flesh not sinfully, but in holiness and godliness. As my flesh undergoes the refining fire (chapter 1), may my resulting behavior be in holiness, not typical worldly living. O that my entire life would be transformed and conformed to Your image! Transformed from the natural man to the spiritual man, conformed to be as true a reflection of You as I could possibly acheive. Thank You, Lord. Amen.
Please pray with us:
From 5-7 March in the Maryland suburbs near Washington D.C., The Navigators are hosting a Congress on Discipleship. This is a gathering of a wide range of people from across the country who meet annually in different cities to be encouraged, stimulated, equipped and trained to effectively make disciples in urban settings and among African Americans. Check out http://afam.spectrumusa.org/congress/home/. Last year over 80 people from Philadelphia attended the conference in New York City.
Please pray with us that the people that attend would gain insight and learn skills to minister effectively in each of their respective cities. There is also a prayer calendar on the website if you would like to pray along with us as we prepare for the conference.
Thanks.
Topics: In the Word and Prayer |